Continuous miner of the rotating drum type



Oct. l, 1957 F. B. MlLLER CONTINUOUS MINER OF THE ROTATING DRUM TYPE Filed Nov. s, 1952 4 Sheets-Shea?l 1 I qll.

Nw MN Oct. 1, 1957 F. B. MILLER CONTINUOUS MINER OF THE ROTATING DRUM TYPE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 @WA/Mig A@ Filed NOV. 8, 1952 Oct. 1, 1957 F. B. MILLER 2,808,253

CONTINUOUS MINER OF THE ROTATING DRUM TYPE Filed NOV. 8, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 94 937%? L 40 Q9 5 fa ff ff, D5 f@ 9 99 Oct. 1, 1957 F. B. MILLER 2,808,253

yCONTINUOUS MINER 0F THE ROTATING DRUM TYPE Filed Nov. 8, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States atent O CONTINUOUS MINER GF THE ROTATING DRUM TYPE Fred B. Miller, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, lll., a corporation of Illinois Y Application November 8, 1952, Serial No. 319,537

3 Claims. (Cl. 262-9) This invention relates to machines for continuous minmg.

In continuous miners of the type employing rotating cutter supports, such supports have heretofore been driven by chains having cutter bits mounted thereon. The driving chains cut kerfs at the ends of the cutter support so that clearance is provided in moving the support with respect to the seam or vein. The sprockets driven by the cutter chains have been known to become packed with coal causing undue tension upon such chains, sometimes causing them to break. The presence of sulphur balls or other hard spots in the vein have also been known to cause breakage of the chain.

In carrying out the present invention the rotating cut- 'ter support is driven by a driving train of gears or a maximum clearance between the housing frame and the stub of coal which hangs from the roof.

The invention is further characterized by rows of cutter bits, the cutter bits in each row lying in a single plane normal to the turning axis of the revolving support. The cutter bits, instead of cutting a kerf of substantially rectangular cross-section as would be the case with the usual corn cob type of cutter bits, cut kerfs substantially of a triangular cross section. In so doing, the cores formed between the kerfs of triangular cross section are likewise of triangular cross section. The triangular cores so formed are arranged to be split by wedging cam surfaces which rotate with the cutter support, and which are located between the cutter bits forming the triangular shaped kerfs. The wedge shaped cams each have a periphery which is eccentn'c with respect to the turning center of the rotating cutter support, so that as the cutter supports rotate, the cam surfaces will split the triangular shaped cores by a wedging action.

The invention is further characterized .by providing the housing frames enclosing the driving trains with wedge shaped surfaces which are arranged to break oi wedge shaped cores formed betweeen cutter bits turning with the support and flanking each side of the gear housing frames. Preferably, the cutter bits are oifset towards the housing frames, so as to make a wedge shaped core of smaller dimension than the wedge shaped cores formed by the other cutter bits mounted on the rotatinglsupport. The housing frame has no rotative movement, Vbut the smaller dimension of the triangular shaped cores formed by the cutter bits flanking the gear housing frame enables them to be readily split by the wedge shaped surfaces on the housing frame, thereby readily permitting the housing frame to enter the seam with the rotating cutter support in sumping, and also to move readily across the seam in an up and down direction, v

j end.

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The reactive force by the seam against the rotating cutter support while moving from the bottom to the top of the seam tends to rock the entire machine in such a fashion soas to lift the discharge end from the mine Hoor. To overcome such rocking tendency the gathering mechanism disposed at the front of the machine is arranged to provide a counter reactive force.

With the foregoing considerations in mind it is the principal object of the invention to afford a construction for the cutting head of a continuous miner whereby both the sumping and cutting operations may be achieved without the use of driving cutter chains, to the end that the operation of the cutter will not be disturbed in any manner by theppresence in the seam of sulphur balls, hard spots or the like.

Another object is to provide an improved cutter head for a mining machine, and to mount such a cutter head upon a pair of swiveling frames which also form a means of housing a driving train for rotatably driving the cutter support. The same frames also provide a means for breaking off cores formed by the action of the cutter bits mounted von the cutter support, to the end that the cutter head and its support frames may readily be sumped into a vein of coal and be moved in an up and down direction with respect to a seam of coal. g

A further and important object is to provide in such vaY cutter head, cutter bits which are arranged to form cores of triangular cross section which mayvreadily be broken by wedge shaped cams which turn with the cutter support, so Aas to split said cores substantially centrally thereof, thereby resulting Vin a larger percentage of lump coal than has been possible heretofore.

Still another object is to provide.. a construction for counteracting the reactive elfect against the cutter head so as to prevent the machine from tilting at the discharge Other objects and important features of the invention will be apparent from a study of the specification follow- `ing, taken with the drawings which together show some preferred embodiments of the invention and what are now considered to be the best modes of practicing the principles thereof. Other embodiments of the invention lmay be suggested to those having the benefit of the teachings herein, and it is therefore intended that the invention not be limited by the precise embodiments herein shown, nor otherwise than by the scope and spirit of the sub joined claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a cutter head and support arms therefor of a continuous miner, said cutter head and support arms having embodied therein the improvements according to one form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the cutter head and support arms shown in Fig. 1, showing the lmotors for driving the same, and a gathering mechanism disposed below the frame of such machines, for loading and gathering material which has been fragmented by the cutter head, said gathering mechanism being constructed so as to oppose the reactive force against the cutter head; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross section taken along the lines 3 3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

` ings the improvements according to the present invention 52resting'upon` the minefhoor.

-3 yare embodied in a continuous `mining machine referred to generally by reference numeral 10. Such a machine 1ncludes side frame members 11 having lateral inward ex- 't'ensions "12 provided with a'n'g'es 13 Yattheir/innerends which are joined together'by 'lb'olts14. Eachfside'frarne memberill formsfpart of anenclosure. for sa drive-'motor lha'vin'g a"i`notor"'shaft f 17 which-is -corinectedftoga idrive shaft 1s through-the meaiumof a exibie-coupnng 19. YThei'side frame members *11 also alfordeda supporttor swiveling movement ofA a pair ofhousing frames-A21, l21 `vivhieh are oined 'lat the forward-end-thereof by a hollow transverse rib 22. Thehousingiframes 21 are}proyided with closrep'lates 23 fwhichare heldxtlieretoaastby cap -scirkvv's '24. f Each closure: plate- 23 andA its associated side l'frame-"me er 'audits-associated side'f'rafne-member -11 'r'efsrng'di to navata-ating aunnionfbeangs zsrandm 1stthat-tlie housing framesZl -toge'therfwithj their closnre Vplates 23 may swivel with respect to theframe members f1 "as -:av uniti t g -fMeans 'are provided' for lifting or Jlowermgf. the housing l'fi-ames 21"withrespect 'to' the'l fnamesf 4171, and' las seen 1n Tig. il;v each' frame extension 12 is providedw-ith bracket i28 forming 1 a l pointA` of Yconnection -29 for a platen rod "31 ofal'it'ting'I cylinder '32, the cylindervheadendofthe jcylinderBZ being hingedly connectedatf33"to'a'bracliet formed -as part'of the'ho'llow rib'22.

l cutter head, indicated :generally by the reference numeral 40, is arranged to turn with a fshaft'41 supported within` housng' frame AeXtensions'zAlZl fromV the hollowrib F"22;'andft'o lne-driven from thermotors 164v as `will-laendescribed'in more fdetailas 'this speilication proceeds. iT-he itterllll is arranged lto'be advanced bythe machined() against a coalfseam 43' while itis rotating `with `thevshaft D41;- so'asto cut coal 'from the seamf43while vbeing raised by the lifting cylinders 32.

"'Ifheco'al fragmented lfrom `the'seani '43 falls to `the mme floorwhere v'it 'is vgathered vby "1a .gathering mechanism referred toby the reference numeral'45. The'machine -10 is provided with the usual conveying means for transport- `ing 'the' fragmented rand gatheredc'oal longitudinally of the machine/ for discharge on to haulage'vehicles'lor vonto `otherconveyingmeans. YThe detailsofsuch conveying' and discharge'means form no part of the'present invention. Y

#Asseens'in' Fig. 2,-the`cutter 40 is iirstsumped into the 'seam' 43Y by advancing the -machine 10 along the fmine door. The-lifting cylinders 32 are thenoperated to'lift the housing frames zl'xtogetherhwith the' housing frameexten'sions '42 Whilethe cutter-`40= isfturning. in counterclockwise direction. Such operation' creates-a downward thrust or reacton against thecutter -4.0'Wl1ich is -transmitted -into Vthe i machine 10, tendingto raise 'the machine fro'rn-,the'fl'oor at points adjacent the discharge Aendthereof. -lnv order to prevent such'tendenCy-ofthe machine toraise fromthe oor, the gathering mechanism -4S is arranged to-provide a downward thrust-against'the Amine floor' whichr in part tends to overcome the downward reaction against? the cutter 40. v

-vAs seen'rmore particularly iny Fig. 2, the side .frame members '11- have arms 47 extending downward-and rearwardly-therefrom. The gathering mechanism v45k includes af gathering apron 48 having -sidewalls- 49-to prevent `spillage of material rmoving along the rapron .48,.jf1`he gatheringapron 48- has welded along the bottomside thereof a stiiener member 51 which terminates in afshoe The arm 471 has ai hinge connection at52- to a vertical' stitfener-plateV SSfdepe'nding from the gathering apron 48. A

' '.Mea'ns are provided-'for' raising andi-lowering 'theif'g'atheringf rnechans'm 45 f in acc'ordan'ce`- with' the'Y undulatio'ns of the mine oor and Yto raise samey while 'tramrningA the machine 10 from one'pdintto another in the mine. f-S/uch raising "and lowering means; which is 'indicated' generally bythereference numeral' 54,1is alsoarranged'to' 'place Va .sense ltothe` reaction against the` cutter 40.

between the shoe 52 and the mine oor to overcome` the reaction against the cutter 40.

As seen in Fig. 2, a double acting cylinder 56 is hingedly connected at 57 to the sideframes 11 and has a piston rod 58 which is `hingedly connected at V59 to a link 61 having its other Fend `hingedly Aconnected -at '62 -to lthe vertical stifener plate 53. A link 63`is'hingedly connected at 64k to'the sidewall A49 for the ,gathering apron v148 .andhas 1a pin connection at-66 yto `thelink:.61:substantiallymnidway thereof.

The cylinder 5.6` is. double acting, andwhenA the piston rod '58 extends therefrom`it will operate to pull thelink 63 in a downward directioncausing'the gathering apron 48 to rock about the pivot point 52 on the arm 47 in a counter-clockwise direction, to4 raise 'the` gathering mechanism from the mine floor.

1Conversely,twhen the piston rod E58 visretractedyinto thel cylinderf56V the 'linkf63 -will rotate the gathering'apron -48in a clock-wise direction about the vpivot point 52 there- `liypressing.thezshoe 52-into engagement with the mine hoor. viThesload against Athe shoe52 will be opposedby .the reactionfromthe mine floor which is: opposed in It -will be scena-that thetwo reactionswhich are of oppositesense will prevent anyftendencyof the reaction againstthe 'cutter f4() from tending to 'lift-themachine. 10 from the floor at the discharge end thereof.

-Il`nelcutter=40 is driven through the medium -of a train lof.-gears supported'within.thehousing frames 21 and Athe .extensionsff42 fromv` the -hollow rib.22. 'The gear train Vincludes la -miter gea1-67 Vfast-toI the .drive shaftlS and a vrmatingmiter; gear-68 -fast on a shaft 69 having a gear 71 fast'thereupon. -Gear v'Mwdrives a train of idler rgears '7.2, 73, andagear '-Mfastupon a.- stub lshaft A'76 havinga .gear.17.a1 so-fast thereupon. Gear-77 meshes with an .idlerfgear'lSwsupported vwithin the hollow extension 42 whichvin-turngrneshes With-a driving gear 79 made fast r-to the-fshaftfll by means ioa ken 81- .heldv-inv-position against the housing extensionv 42 by -means' offanutSS threaded to the ends of the shaft 41,

-llenvts bearing againstfweshers 89 whichlin turn bear 4.againsta shoulder. 91 of the endportionsi It will befseenvthat the countersinking of -thefpor- ,tions 87 enable the .ends oftthe shaft 41. to be-trecessed .within'thefends of thevcutter 40,so that clearance'v will be ,afforded wherby the cutter drum may enter the-seam 43. The central .section 82and,theendsections-Sl ofthe cutter` drum 40rare provided with holders 92 for cutter bits 93..'which .are spaced .lengthwise ofthe cutter l40y `and also spaced evenly around.the .periphery thereof as-seen in Eig. 4. The cutter bits .93- are notstaggered out of the plane of the bit holders 92 as is .the practice-inthe Vso-called corn co type of cutter,-but are locatedinl a single plane. VAs is known, such corn cobtypes of 'cutters cut kerfsof substantially .rectangularncross sectionyvith a core between each kerf also of .substantially rectangular cross section.

` Each cutter 93v has arather widecutting .edge as compared tothe cutting edge. ofthe cutters employed in a fset'of' corn cob'cutters. As seen in Figs. `l vand- 3, 'each'of theQcutters 93 cuts a kerf 94 substantially/"of triangular cross ,section leaving a core I96'substantially-of "triangular cross section therebetween.

'ljhefrotating portions 82 and 84 'of the cutter 4 0..are `arranged means-for breaking or splitting the cores Q formedby the actionl of the cutter bits 93. `.Such means are in' the form .of a4 core v:breakers 97,6 formed integrally with the portions 82 and 84. Each of such breakers has a cross section which is triangular in shape when taken on a plane parallel to the axis of the cutter drum 40, and as seen in Fig. 3, and has a periphery which is eccentric with respect to the turning center of the cutter drum as seen more clearly in Fig. 4.

The core breakers 96 are preferably disposed angularly with respect to each other about the portions 82 and 84, so that only a part of the total number are in contact with the cores 95 at any one time.

It will be seen that the apex of each core breaker 96 will contact the apex of each triangular core 95 as the cutter 40 revolves with the shaft 41, causing the breakers 96 to split each core down the middle thereof, thereby increasing the amount of lump coal.

The housing extensions are likewise provided with wedging surfaces 97 which serve torbreak oi cores 98 formed by offset cutter bits 99 which are olset towards the housing extensions 42. By osetting the cutter bits 99 in the fashion described and as shown in Fig. 3, the triangular shaped core 98 is made of smaller cross section than the other cores 95. Since the housing extensions 42 do not have rotating movement and only the movements incident to being sumped into the seam or the raising movement of the lifting cylinders 32, the smaller wedging breakers of the frame extensions 42 are readily able to break the smaller triangular cores 98.

The line of centers of the idler train of gears in the housing arms 24 and the housing extensions 42 lie below the plane containing the centers of the driving gear 71 and the cutter 40, so that the dimensions of the housing frame 21 may be such so as to permit a stub or lip 101 of coal as seen in Fig. 2, to hang from the seam of coal 43 while having maximum clearance with respect to the housing frames 21.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, there is shown another form of the invention in which the housing frames 21 enclose a combination gear train and driving chain to import rotation to the cutter head 40.

In this second form of the invention parts common to the form shown in Figs. l to 4 will be adverted to by the same reference numerals.

In this second form of the invention the gear 72 is made fast on a shaft 100 having a chain sprocket 102 fast thereto. A driven chain 103 is trained around the sprocket 102 and at its forward end `around a sprocket 106 made fast to a shaft 106. The gear 77 is also made fast to the shaft 106 and meshes with the gear 78 meshing with the gear 79 fast upon the shaft 41 supporting the cutter head 40.

It Will thus be seen that the driving chain 103 and the sprockets 102 and 106 atord an effective means for transmitting power to the cutter head 40 from the driving motors 16, and may be used in lieu of the reaching gears 73 and 74 in the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 4.

In the described arrangements, the cutter 40 is an upcutter; that is, it is sumped in at the bottom of the face and swung up in cutting. It will be understood that the cutter 40 may -be arranged as a downcutter merely by turning the housing frames 21 and cutter 40 assembly upside down; in which case the stub 101 to be cleared by the housing arms 24 and extensions 42 would be below the head.

While the invention has been described in terms of some preferred embodiments thereof it is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by the precise embodiments herein shown, and only by the terms of the claims here appended.

I claim:

1. In a continuous mining machine, a frame enclosing a driving train for a revolving cutter mounted at the end of said frame, means for moving said frame together with said revolving cutter with respect to a seam of coal or the like, said frame having an extension enclosing a driving gear for said cutter, cutter bits mounted on said revolving cutter for cutting kerfs in said seam, each row of said cutter bits being disposed in a plane normal to the turning axis of said cutter so as to cut kerfs of triangular cross section with cores formed between said kerfs also having a substantially triangular cross section, and breakers mounted on said revolving cutter in planes intermediate the planes of each row of said cutter bits and having surfaces for splitting said cores as they are formed by the action of said cutter bits, each of said breakers having a triangular cross section on a plane parallel to the axis of said revolving cutter and having their peripheries on a center which is eccentric of the axis of said revolving cutter, said frame extension also having breakers thereon for splitting the cores formed between cutter bits mounted on said revolving cutter on each side of said frame extension, said last named cutter bits being offset toward each other so as to leave cores of smaller dimension therebetween which may readily be removed by the breakers on said frame extension when moving with respect to said seam.

2. In a continuous mining machine, a frame enclosing a driving train for a revolving cutter mounted at the end of said frame, means for moving said frame together with said revolving cutter with respect to a seam of coal or the like, said frame having an extension enclosing a driving gear for said revolving cutter, cutter bits mounted on said revolving cutter for cutting kerfs in said seam, each row of said cutter bits being disposed in a plane normal to the turning axis of said revolving cutter-so as to cut kerfs of triangular cross section with cores formed between said kerfs also having a substantially triangular cross section, and breakers mounted on said revolving cutter having surfaces for splitting said cores as they are formed by the action of said cutter bits, the surfaces on each of said breakers being on a center which is eccentric with respect to the turning center of said revolving cutter, said frame extension also having breakers thereon for splitting the cores formed between cutter bits mounted on said revolving cutter on each side of said frame extension, said last named cutter bits being oifset `toward each other so as to leave cores of smaller dimension which may readily be removed by the breakers on said frame extension when moving with respect to said seam.

3. In a continuous mining machine, a frame enclosing driving means for a revolving cutter mounted at the end of said frame, means for moving said frame together with said revolving cutter with respect to a seam of coal or the like, said frame having an extension enclosing a driving gear for said revolving cutter, cutter bits mounted on said revolving cutter for cutting kerfs in said seam, each row of said cutter bits being disposed in a plane normal to the turning axis of said revolving cutter so as to cut kerfs of triangular cross section with cores formed between said kerfs also having a substantially triangular cross section, and breakers mounted on said revolving cutter having surfaces for splitting said cores as they are formed by the action of said cutter bits, the surfaces on each of said breakers being on a center which is eccentric with respect to the turning center of said revolving cutter, said frame extension also having breakers thereon for splitting of cores formed between cutter bits mounted on said revolving cutter on each side of said frame extension.

References Cited in the lile of this patent f UNITED STATES PATENTS 307,751 Dougine Nov. 1v1, 1884 1,143,897 Flexner et al June 22, 1915 1,148,975 Kuhn et al Aug. 3, 1915 1,195,396 Recen Aug. 22, 1916 2,269,781 Osgood Jan. 13, 1942 2,368,863 Miller Feb. 6, 1945 2,630,308 Moon Mar. 3, 1953 2,643,106 McGowan June 23, 1953 2,677,536 Gleeson May 4, 1954 2,692,130 Ruth Oct. 19, 1954 

